| Air France | Paris (CDG) → Berlin (BER) | A220-300 | Economy Class | 20/05/2022 | |
| Lufthansa | Berlin (BER) → Frankfurt (FRA) | A319-100 | Economy Class | 22/05/2022 | Current review |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt (FRA) → Paris (CDG) | A320neo | Economy Class | 22/05/2022 | Short review - 3.4/5 |
| Air France | Paris (CDG) → Berlin (BER) | A220-300 | Economy Class | 20/05/2022 | |
| Lufthansa | Berlin (BER) → Frankfurt (FRA) | A319-100 | Economy Class | 22/05/2022 | Current review |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt (FRA) → Paris (CDG) | A320neo | Economy Class | 22/05/2022 | Short review - 3.4/5 |
Hello and welcome to the second Flight review dedicated to my trip to Berlin.
In the first episode, I took you with me on the Air France flight in Airbus A220 between Paris and Berlin. Today, it's already time to go back to Paris, not with Air France this time but with Lufthansa with a stopover in Frankfurt.
This Flight review presents the first of the two segments, BER-FRA, operated by an Airbus A319.
I met you directly at the airport, which I reached very easily thanks to the S-Bahn S9 train.
I walk up the two floors that separate the regional train station from the check-in hall.
I remind you that this is my first time at the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport. If I could appreciate the fluidity and the modernity of this one at the time of my arrival, I hope that the terminal will also be able to allure me at the departure!
So I arrive in the check-in hall and I can't help but immediately notice this impression of grandeur, with this very high ceiling and this really pure and modern architecture composed mostly of glass and wood. It makes it really nice and bright.
I pass in front of the Lufthansa check-in. Not many people despite the large number of LH flights in Berlin. I will not have any luggage to check in today. So I go directly to the security controls.
Important contrast with Paris-Charles de Gaulle: all the controls are passed in not even 10 minutes! However, I recognize that it is hardly comparable to Paris: far fewer people (and flights). But there is no understaffing here...
I then pass through Duty-free and I arrive in a big hall concentrating an important number of restaurants, bars, shops... There is really a lot of choice.
I take the opportunity to go to the Lufthansa WorldShop, the Lufthansa shop.
As an enthusiast, I can't help but appreciate the "Upcycling Collection" offering many everyday products made from recycled materials from old Lufthansa planes. A very nice initiative to give a second life to all this!
Even in the transit area, you can always admire the beauty of the terminal. A terminal that is always pleasant, modern, and above all clean.
I cross a concourse taking me to my gate, the A06. It seems that an Air France flight has recently passed through there!
Our aircraft of the day finally arrives at the gate from Frankfurt. It is a D-AIBA, an Airbus A319-112 in the old Lufthansa livery, delivered to the airline 12 years ago.
After a little wait during the deboarding of the previous flight, it is time to start our boarding.
The latter starts with the Business Class passengers and the priorities (groups 1 and 2). Group 3, of which I am a part, boards quickly afterward.
We are welcomed by two cabin crews, very friendly.
I move forward in the cabin until I reach my seat, the 07F.
The cabin, very standard, is the same as the one used by the vast majority of short/medium haul Airbus in the German fleet. A cabin, with leather seats, rather simple but correct for short flights. We can only underline the lack of USB ports on board. My external battery will be very useful.
In the seat pocket, not much. The safety card, a sickness bag, and the Onboard Delights catalog – a menu for meals/drinks to buy (a new service offered by Lufthansa since the pandemic, replacing the previous service). A service that I will not have the opportunity to test today, this flight being too short to offer it...
Legroom is good.
The view is nice too: leading edge/right engine.
D-AINZ taxiing from Munich. It was this aircraft that wore the special "Haupstadtflieger" livery that opened Berlin-Brandenburg Airport at the end of 2020.
An A319 of Eurowings parked next to us which is also preparing for the pushback.
We push back facing South (and before the Eurowings). The security demonstrations begin and the two CFM 56 start!
After a very short taxi and the arrival of an A320 of Air France (obviously, they are everywhere!), we come to align ourselves on runway 25L and we take off to Frankfurt.
We go up quickly to our flight level, the FL220. A low level but sufficient for a flight of this duration.
This Airbus A319, like all those owned by the airline, is equipped with Wi-Fi on board. Unfortunately, unlike Air France, no free offer for WhatsApp...
Three offers are present: "FlyNet Chat" for instant messaging at 3 €; then "Mail & Surf" and "Stream" which both bear their name, at 5 € and 10 € respectively.
These are not large sums but a free offer, at least for messages, would have been welcome.
It is still possible to connect for free to the Lufthansa portal offering various information about the arrival (a guide to Frankfurt, the weather...), the Lufthansa WorldShop and the Lufthansa Magazine, information about flight connections at FRA, and finally a nice feature: a nice little interactive map with lots of information about the flight. A real entertainment for avgeeks!
Before the flight, it was also possible to download newspapers free of charge by logging on to the Lufthansa website.
The crew arrives for the "service". This one will only consist of a mini bottle of water and a small chocolate. Really disappointing when you see what they offered before the pandemic, or even what the competition offers. A more extensive offer of drinks (tea, coffee, apple juice...) would have been welcome.
The "adaptive" lighting of the A319.
We quickly start the descent towards Frankfurt, admiring the beginning of the sunset.
One last turn to establish ourselves on runway 07L.
We can see in the distance a Lufthansa Airbus A320 establishing itself parallel to us on runway 07R. Having had a trajectory a little too much on the left, it passed just under our aircraft, whereas we were still quite high. Nothing extraordinary but enough to attract my attention!
We fly over the Rhine, always with the sight of the A320 parallel to us.
And so we land on the northern runway of Frankfurt, right on time.
We taxi quietly to terminal 1 by passing in front of several nice planes, in particular, D-ABVM, the only Boeing 747-400 in new livery Lufthansa at the time.
Last turn and we finally arrive at gate A26.
The deboarding starts quickly.
Just before leaving the plane, a small picture of D-AINC making its last turn right next to us, for the gate A28. This is the plane I'm going to take for my second flight of the day, to Paris. What a coincidence!
We leave the plane by realizing a last shot fuselage with a very beautiful light.
And as I leave the plane, I see just to my left the Lufthansa A319 wearing the special "Lu & Cosmo" livery!
I finally find myself in the A concourse of the airport. The gate for my next flight to Paris is just around the corner with D-AINC, the third Airbus A320neo received by Lufthansa. The connection will be very short (not even 10 minutes before the start of the boarding) so I will not have the opportunity to walk around the terminal.
To conclude, another very classic flight with Lufthansa in Europe. A friendly crew, a cabin not exceptional but correct for this flight duration, and good legroom. Too bad there are no USB ports... The presence of Wi-Fi on board is a big plus, especially with a very nice interactive map to follow your flight and all the information. We can however regret the lack of a free offer, at least for messages. Finally, as for the service, the bare minimum. No choice, just a mini bottle of water and chocolate. You may say, that's already a good thing, unlike some airlines that don't offer anything at all. Nevertheless, we notice a drop in service which is really regrettable compared to other competing airlines which maintain a "service".
Concerning Berlin, the airport is very smooth, really clean and pleasant. It is a nice change from the old Tegel Airport. We can also note a large offer to eat, buy things and have fun while waiting. It was my first time in Brandenburg and certainly not my last!
Concerning Frankfurt finally, I only stayed there for a short time and I literally walked 20 meters. So I can't rate my experience there this time. Nevertheless, my opinion of this airport does not change. Smooth, clean, pleasant, and always a pleasure as an avgeek! I will keep my usual rating.
This is the end of my Flight review. I won't make one for my FRA-CDG, a flight whose service is very similar to BER-FRA. I will surely meet you again this summer for other Flight reviews!
Thanks for reading and see you soon ;)
